Flexible walled security container

ABSTRACT

A flexible walled security container having an opening provided with slide fastener means along the edges of the opening and locking means carried by the container in position to releasably retain the slider of the slide fastener means in position closing the container.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,759,073

Rifkin Sept. 18, 1973 [541 FLEXIBLE WALLED SECURITY 3,580,016 5/1971Kerr 70/68 CONTAINER 3,653,236 4/1972 Kerr 70/68 Inventor: Arnold S.Rllkin, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Assignee: A. Rilkin, Co., Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Filed: July 9, 1971 Appl. No.: 145,127

U.S. Cl. 70/68, 24/205.l1 Int. Cl. E05b 65/52, A44b 19/30 Field ofSearch 70/68; 150/3;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Rifkin 70/68 PrimaryExaminer-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-William F. Pate, lllAttorney-Robert K. Youtie [57] ABSTRACT A flexible walled securitycontainer having an opening provided with slide fastener means along theedges of the opening and locking means carried by the container inposition to releasably retain the slider of the slide fastener means inposition closing the container.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Sept. 18, 1973 FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

RIFKIN I ARNOLD S.

ATTORN EY I FLEXIBLE WALLED SECURITY CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The area of the instant invention is broadly that of seucritydevices for slide fasteners, and is especially concerned with flexiblewalled security containers, such as those presently employed by banks,and other institutions for carrying valuables. The device of the presentinvention is of the general type disclosed in prior U. S. Pat. No.1,950,415. While the device of said patent has well served its intendedfunction for many years, there are now proposed certain improvementsthereover to enhance convenience and ease of use, while increasing thesecurity afforded to the contents of a container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an important object of thepresent invention to provide a security device of the type describedwhich facilitates the ease and rapidity with which a user may engage aslider into and remove the slider from its container closing position.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide aslider receiver having increased accessibility, so that a slider maymore surely be placed in the receiver for positive locking therein, andmay more easily be removed from the receiver during proper openingprocedure, all without detracting from security of the container.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide asecurity device of the type described for use in conjunction with aflexible walled container, wherein a unique configuration andrelationship of parts serves to effectively preclude any possible probeor other instrument for entering the container or in any way tamperingwith the contents of the container.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide asecurity device having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in thepreceding paragraphs, which is of simplified construction, so as toeffect savings in materials and other manufacturing costs.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparaent uponreading the following specification and referring to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top perspective viewillustrating a locking means of the present invention, in a lockedcondition, apart from the remainder of the security device.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating thelocking means in an open or unlocked condition.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view showing the lockingmeans of FIGS. 1 and 2 incorporated in a flexible walled container orbag in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, andillustrated in a bag locking condition.

FIG. 4 is a partial top plan view of the assembly of FIG. 3, as viewedgenerally along the line 4-4, and partially broken away to illustratethe cooperating relationship between parts.

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional elevational view taken generally along theline 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal elevational view similar to FIG. 3, butillustrating the container in an unlocked condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, and specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the lockingmeans is there generally designated 10, and includes a blocklike body 11having a generally rounded outer end surface 12, and a relatively squareor flat inner end surface 13. The upper end 14 of the body 11 may beprovided with an outer extension, flange or ledge 15 projecting beyondthe rounded body surface 12. Fastener receiving openings 16 may beprovided in the body 11 adjacent to and spaced below the upper body end14, for a purpose appearing presently.

Adjacent to and spaced below the upper body end 14, projecting from andgenerally normal to the inner body end wall 13, is a jaw or receiver 20.In practice, the jaw or receiver 20 is advantageously integrally formedwith the body 11, as by die casting or other suitable manufacturingprocedure.

The upper or outer surface 21 of the jaw or receiver 20 is formed withan upwardly opening or facing recess 22. The recess 22 is generally of ahorseshoe shaped outline configuration, being defined within an arcuatebounding wall 23 facing generally away from the body 11 andcommunicating through the end surface 24 of jaw 20 by means of a reducedor necked down recess portion or passageway 25. The receiver recess 22is best seen in plan in FIGS. 4 and 5. It will there be seen that aslider 28 of a slide fastener is generally conformably seatable in thereceiver recess 22. That is, the generally tapering configuration of theslider 28 is conforrnably engageable in the recess 22, which tapers orreduces to the passageway or opening 25, which latter receives thereduced or narrower region of the slider. However, this is not a closefit of slider 28 in the recess 22. Rather, the recess 22 is elongated inthe direction normal to the body wall 13, so as to be substantiallygreater than the length of the slider 28. The slider may then be engagedin the recess 22 without criticality as to slider position, for speed,convenience and ease in operation.

Additionally, the receiver or jaw 20 is provided on its upper surfacewith a pair of laterally spaced, upstanding projections or lugs 30,being on opposite sides of the reduced passageway 25, and providingeffective barriers to removal of a slider from the recess 22 withoutraising the slider above the level of the lugs. The lugs 30 have theirinner or adjacent surfaces flush with the adjacent side edges of therecess 22 and passageway 25.

The jaw 20 may advantageously be of generally rectangular outlineconfiguration when viewd in plan, say as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. That is,the jaw 20 extends laterally substantially beyond the recess 22, so asto define a pair of laterally outstanding wings 31, for purposesappearing more fully hereinafter.

Associated with the body 11 is a retainer 32, which includes adownwardly facing jaw or plate 33 overlying the jaw or receiver 20, andmovable toward and away from the latter. More specifically, the retainer32 includes a shank or slide 34 slidably engageable in the body 11 andshiftable therein between an extended position with the retainer plate33 spaced away from the jaw 20, and a position with the retainer plateshifted toward the jaw.

The body 11 is provided interiorly with suitable mechanism forreleasably securing the retainer 32 in its position of movement towardthe jaw 20. For example, a rotary lock plug 35 is mounted in the body11, having an upwardly facing keyway 36 operatively connected inconventional manner to the retainer 32 for key actuated release of theretainer.

Thus, the retainer plate 33 may be resiliently yieldably depresseddownwardly toward the receiver for snap engagement into a lockingposition, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and may be key operated throughrotation of plug to release the retainer 32 to its open, elevatedposition of FIGS. 2 and 6.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the retainer plate 33 extends generally normalto the body wall 13, in parallelism with and over the jaw 20, butterminates at its outer end 37 short of the outer end 24 of the jaw 20.Also, the retainer plate 33 may taper or have its side edges 38convergent in the outward direction to the end edge 37. This tapered,relatively short configuration of retainer plate 33 serves to affordgreater and more convenient access to the receiver recess 22, as whenengaging the slider 28 into and removing the slider from the recess.Additionally, the retainer plate configuration and size serves to reducecosts, all without sacrificing security.

In the assembly of locking means 10 with a flexible walled container,say as shown in FIG. 3, a container is there generally designated 40,and may include a pair of facing spaced flexible walls, as of fabric, orthe like, joined together, as at 42, about the rounded or curved wall 12of locking body 11. Further, the flexible walls 41 include an extension43 doubled inwardly upon the remainder of the flexible walls and inembracing engagement with the body 11 about the rounded body surface 12.Securing the wall extension 43 in embracing engagement with the body 11is a generally U- shaped strap or clamp 44 which is positively securedto the body 11, clamping therebetween the flexible flap 43, as byfasteners 45 secured in hole 16.

A reinforcement covering or patch 46, as of leather, may be securedexteriorly of the flexible walls 41 about the locking means 10, ifdesired.

The flexible side walls 41 of container 40 terminate at their upper edgeregions 47, where they are provided with respective slide fastener tapes48. That is, the upper edge regions 47 of the flexible side walls 41define therebetween a container opening when the slide fastener tapesare separated or open. The slide fastener tapes 48, and slider 28 maycombine to define a slide fastener generally designated 50. The slidefastener thus serves to close the container opening upon shiftingmovement of the slider 28 into a received position within the receiverrecess 22. In this received, closed position, the slider tab 51 mayextend outward beyond the retainer plate 33, providing a graspingelement during movement of the slider into position within the receiver22, and upon removal of the slider from the receiver.

It will now be appreciated that the receiver or jaw 20 extends from thebody 11 along the container opening between the edges 47 of walls 41,and its recess 22 faces outwardly through the opening. Conversely, theretainer plate 33 extends along the opening between the edges 47 ofcontainer walls 41 and faces inwardly therethrough toward the jaw 20 andits recess. The jaw 20 and retainer plate 33 thereby cooperate to releasably retain the slider 28 and its gripping tab 51 in a positively heldclosed position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this closed position, seeFIG. 4, it will be apparent that the slide fastener tapes 48 are coveredby the overlying retainer plate 33, so that it is impossible to cause atool or probe to enter beneath a tape. Further, the wings 31 of jaw 20extend laterally outwardly to distend the covering regions of tapes 48,and effectively preclude the passage of even a very slender and flexibletool alongside of the jaw or body 11.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the present inventionprovides a security device for a flexible walled container whichenhances convenience, speed and ease with which the container may beopened and closed, and also enhances security of the device againstunauthorized tampering, and otherwise fully accomplishes its intendedobjects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by wayof illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, itis understood that certain changes and modifications may be made withinthe spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A security device comprising a flexible walled container having anopening, fastener means including a slider shiftable along the wall edgemargins bounding said opening to open and close said opening, andlocking means carried by said container releasably retaining said sliderin a position closing said opening, said locking means comprising a bodyfixed interiorly of said container adjacent to said opening, a jawextending from said body along said opening and facing outwardly throughsaid opening, said jaw being formed on its face with a recess forreceiving said slider in said position, a retainer shiftably carried bysaid body extending along said opening and having one side facinginwardly through said opening toward said jaw recess, said retainer bengshiftable toward and away from said jaw while facing said recess toreleasably retain said slider in said recess with said edge marginbeneath said retainer, and a pair of lateral wings extending oppositelyoutwardly from said jaw to a lateral extent considerably beyond saidslider to approximate that of said body, to underlie and distend saidedge margins for precluding the insertion of a tool past one of saidedge margins along said body.

2. A security device according to claim 1, said retainer extending alongsaid opening and terminating short of said jaw to afford convenientaccess to said recess for insertion and withdrawal of said slider withless shifting of said retainer.

3. A security device according to claim 2, said recess being of adimension in the direction of said opening greater than thecorresponding dimension of said slider for quick and easy sliderengagement in said recess with said retainer in position away from andfacing toward said recess.

i t i 4! t

1. A security device comprising a flexible walled container having anopening, fastener means including a slider shiftable along the wall edgemargins bounding said opening to open and close said opening, andlocking means carried by said container releasably retaining said sliderin a position closing said opening, said locking means comprising a bodyfixed interiorly of said container adjacent to said opening, a jawextending from said body along said opening and facing outwardly throughsaid opening, said jaw being formed on its face with a recess forreceiving said slider in said position, a retainer shiftably carried bysaid body extending along said opening and having one side facinginwardly through said opening toward said jaw recess, said retainer bengshiftable toward and away from said jaw while facing said recess toreleasably retain said slider in said recess with said edge marginbeneath said retainer, and a pair of lateral wings extending oppositelyoutwardly from said jaw to a lateral extent considerably beyond saidslider to approximate that of said body, to underlie and distend saidedge margins for precluding the insertion of a tool past one of saidedge margins along said body.
 2. A security device according to claim 1,said retainer extending along said opening and terminating short of saidjaw to afford convenient access to said recess for insertion andwithdrawal of said slider with less shifting of said retainer.
 3. Asecurity device according to claim 2, said recess being of a dimensionin the direction of said opening greater than the correspondingdimension of said slider for quick and easy slider engagement in saidrecess with said retainer in position away from and facing toward saidrecess.